Bing Venue Maps gets global-sized update, makes Euros' shopping trips easier

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/28/bing-venue-maps-international-shopping-malls/

In case you thought all those 165TB of satellite shots would slow down the Bing Maps updates -- think again. And while this one might not be as loaded as the aforementioned goods, the latest refresh to Redmond's mapping service is likely to make at least a few shopaholic Europeans very happy. To make things short, Microsoft -- in partnership with Nokia -- is taking Bing Venue Maps over to the Vieux Continent, boosting the total number of mall-friendly maps to over 2,700, and making it more than 30 countries in which the offering's now live. For those unfamiliar with Venue Maps, the service allows you to find stores, bathrooms and even ATMs located within a good amount of shopping malls across North America, Europe and Asia. Even better, you can see if your favorite spot is one of them at the source link below, where you'll find the full list of venues supported.

Continue reading Bing Venue Maps gets global-sized update, makes Euros' shopping trips easier

Bing Venue Maps gets global-sized update, makes Euros' shopping trips easier originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 20:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rice University researchers create spray-on battery, powered bathroom tiles

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/29/rice-university-researchers-create-spray-on-battery-powered-bat/

Liquid solar cells are pretty neat, to be sure, but current-generating paint can be a hard color to match. Good thing, then, that researchers at Rice university have developed the perfect complement: a spray-on battery. By carefully layering five coats of specially formulated paint, the team has found a way to apply a thin coat of lithium ion storage to multiple surfaces, including glass, ceramics, steel and flexible polymers. Early experiments are promising -- after applying the process to nine ordinary bathroom tiles, the painted batteries were able to power a small array of LEDs (spelling "Rice") for six hours, consistently pumping out 2.4 volts of electricity. After 60 charge / discharge cycles, researches say the batteries retained most of their capacity. Neelam Singh, Rice graduate student and lead author of the team's report, says the technology will only improve when coupled with modern methods. "Spray painting is already an industrial process, so it will be very easy to incorporate this into industry," she said. "We really do consider this a paradigm changer." Scope out the processes (and its fruits) for yourself after the break.

Continue reading Rice University researchers create spray-on battery, powered bathroom tiles

Rice University researchers create spray-on battery, powered bathroom tiles originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 01:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Splashtop for iPad gets major update: Retina support, easier remote desktopping (update: but at a price)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/29/splashtop-2-update/

If you wake up to find the Splashtop Streamer widget on your PC or Mac begging to be updated, then it's probably worth it -- especially if you have a new iPad lying around. Splashtop 2 has been optimized to work with the Retina display, which makes it a cinch to squeeze your entire Windows or OS X desktop onto the 10-inch screen without it looking terrible. The system has also been redesigned to avoid the need to enter IP addresses, passwords, port numbers or Google account details. Instead, you'll create a new Splashtop 2 login that should work once across all your devices. The UI seems a lot friendlier, there's a new in-app purchase to "supercharge" network performance (edit: also required for connections outside of the same WiFi network if you're a new customer, see below), plus there's improved support for fluid video streaming at up to 30fps. (Alas, there's still no fullscreen support for Windows Media Center users though.) The new streamer and iPad app are available now, while the Android update should arrive soon. Want to see it in action? Head past the break for the promo video.

Update: We didn't fully appreciate this at first, but cross-network remote desktopping is no longer free to new customers. If you're coming to Splashtop for the first time, you have to make the in-app purchase ($1 per month or $10 per year) to enable "Anywhere Access." That said, the Splashtop 2 app for iPad is currently selling for $2 -- an 80 percent discount which largely compensates for the first year of charges.

Continue reading Splashtop for iPad gets major update: Retina support, easier remote desktopping (update: but at a price)

Splashtop for iPad gets major update: Retina support, easier remote desktopping (update: but at a price) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 03:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/29/foursquare-connected-app-platform-ios-android/

It turns out Foursquare's massive 5.0 revamp was just the start of the changes, as the location sharing app unveiled a new twist with the launch its Connected Apps platform. Available as a developer preview, it lets the makers of apps like Untappd, Instagram or The Weather Channel connect directly with the Foursquare app. Many apps were already connected via the API, and once users upgrade to the latest version on Android or iOS their checkins pull information from those apps into Foursquare itself. That means they get things like the weather forecast on their first check in of the day from The Weather Channel, see what songs their friends have shared at a particular location via Soundtracking or beer recommendations from Untappd. Developers can get all the info on how it works at the overview, the rest of us can see the list of enabled apps on the official blog post.

Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 04:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peel AllPlay TV unites media sources for Android fans, puts them in harmony with Google TV

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/29/peel-allplay-tv-unites-media-sources-for-android-fans-with-google-tv/

It's been a awhile since we caught up with Peel, but the company has certainly been putting its time to good use with a big update to its Android app at Google I/O. A new AllPlay TV component acts primarily as a companion for Google TV, pooling together listings of the disparate sources of conventional and streaming TV without having to break out the awkward remote until absolutely necessary. Live TV, DVR recordings and Netflix all sit side by side; if the season premiere of a show is coming up and last season's finale remains tragically unwatched, Peel will be the cue to record the new airing and hit Netflix for the catch-up. Peel warns that AllPlay TV won't be part and parcel of the app until July -- as compensation, it's promising that the release will bring Android 2.3 users into the fold, and a parallel version is coming to iPhone and iPod touch owners in the next few months.

Peel AllPlay TV unites media sources for Android fans, puts them in harmony with Google TV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 05:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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